Salvationists and friends play novelty match to welcome Team Salvos Captain

Officers, comrades, and friends of The Salvation Army, an internationally renowned religious and humanitarian organization, will celebrate and welcome their recently installed National Leaders, Territorial Commander and Territorial President for Women’s Ministries, Colonels Friday and Glory Ayanam. They recently returned to lead the organisation after 10 years in other countries.

The celebrations will kick off with a novelty football match for both male and female teams at the Igbobi Orthopedic Hospital field on Saturday, November 9, from 7.30 am to 10am. The match will feature teams comprising officers (pastors), their children, and cadets (trainee pastors) compete against the Lagos City Divisional youth teams.

The novelty football match honours Territorial Commander Colonel Friday Ayanam, who captained The Salvation Army football team during the organization’s centenary celebrations. That match, against the Family United by Sports team (comprising former Super Eagles and ex-international footballers), ended in a 1-1 draw.

The event coordinator, CSM Ntiense Williams (Mr. Rugby), a former National Public Relations Coordinator said, “It’s a privilege to celebrate our new National Leaders, who are great supporters and active participants in sporting activities, especially football, as we re-launch Sports Evangelism in the organization.

“Sport is Nigeria’s major unifying factor, promoting a healthy society and effective workforce.”

The main welcome ceremony will take place on Sunday, November 10, at the National Headquarters Igbobi Corps Hall, Onipanu, Lagos, starting at 10.00am. Church and government dignitaries are expected to attend.

The story of some of our Special Sports/Para-Olympians who have made Nigeria proud in the different sporting events and the highest being the Olympics as world champions will not be complete without reference to The Salvation Army Benin and Orji Rivers Rehabilitation Centres where the international religious and humanitarian organisation holds sway in their programmes for the less privilege, special persons and humanity in general.

Flora Ugwunwa is a 40-year-old Nigerian Paralympic athlete who won a gold medal in the women’s javelin throw at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro and a silver medal in the same event at the 2024 Summer Paralympics in Paris.

She won the Disability Sports Person of the Year award at Project Enable Africa’s Disability Inclusion and Leadership (DIAL) Awards in 2021.

Oyema Esther, a multiple gold medalist and world record holder at the Commonwealth, World Para Championship and the Para Olympics since 2000 to date.

Coach Patience Aghimile Igbiti is a former athlete. In 2008, she won the bronze medal in the women’s 60 kg powerlifting at the Olympics and is now a well respected Head Coach producing our world beaters.

These and much more are just typical examples of the transformation through the help of The Salvation Army during their stay, treatment and counseling at these centers that gave them a sense of belonging, hope and the “can do” spirit, that has brought out the ability in their physical disabilities. They are indeed eternally grateful to The Salvation Army for the services rendered to them and many others who are also doing well in other fields.